Klein to Go After ATR's Weingarten Says

A correspondent reports:

Randi's visit to the Queens Rubber room

Aside from a lot of useless prattle, she also indicated that Klein was going after ATR's as a form of featherbedding. She, as always, the unsuspecting, unknowing, innocent lawyer, does not seem too sure about her ability to uphold the union's ironclad policy of protecting atrs. What else is new?

Raging Debates on KIPP and Class Size...

.... took place during the week off.

The KIPP/charter school discussion, with a KIPP teacher taking part, came about spontaneously at NYC Educator in this post from Reality Based Educator and has already inspired 56 comments.

The class size debate is part of a series of posts at Eduwonkette, where her able assistant Skoolboy, Leonie Haimson and a cast of thousands deep massaged the class size issue.

Check out 2 of the push-button issues on today's ed/pol pallet.

You big asshats

Pissed Off Mom Reports:

My son called me about 10 mintues ago to inform me that his school is now formally a prison. He said when he arrived there were police surrounding the building and scanning was happening. He said that he turned around knowing full well that he was going to be stopped. The police officer stopped him and said "Hey where do you think you are going?", his reply ummm the college is over there. Glad he is almost 7 feet tall with a full beard that I almost made him shave off over the break.

Yeah that's right my child walked away with my permission and called me with his cell the one he has to hide under a rock before entering the building, the only reason he will be staying at this school is he graduates this year, otherwise I would be all over there in a minute pulling his big giant behind out of there. Enough is enough already. This is a place of EDUCATION, not demoralizing your students and staff. You big asshats.

THE BIG BUSINESS OF PUBLIC EDUCATION

Teachers Unite presents:

THE BIG BUSINESS OF PUBLIC EDUCATION: How will we reclaim public schools from privatization?
Thursday, January 10th, 5-7p.m.

CUNY Graduate Center, 365 Fifth Ave. (between 34th and 35th St.), Room C201
Photo I.D. is required to enter the building
Space is limited. RSVP to sally@teachersunite.net.

Millions of dollars are exchanged between New York City’s Department of Education and private companies. How do these relationships impact our classrooms? What can be done about the seemingly inescapable trend of schools privatization?

Speakers:

Michael Fiorillo, Chapter Leader, Newcomers High School

Leonie Hamison, Executive Director, Class Size Matters

Discussion to follow

This forum is the third in a series of events where educators can relate their experiences in schools to larger political trends. The 2007-2008 forums focus on the impact of privatization and the corporate model on classroom life in NYC public schools.

Teachers Unite provides leadership opportunities that build ties between educators and community organizers, and political education forums that build an informed teacher constituency. Teachers Unite is an organization for educators who act in solidarity with the communities they serve. www.teachersunite.net

Rubber Room Trailer Released

Greetings all and Happy New Year,

Five Boroughs Productions is proud to announce the release of our trailer for The Rubber Room, which is now available for viewing at www.rubberroommovie.com. Although all aspects of production have not been completed, we are excited to show you a preview of some of the footage we have obtained so far.

We here at Five Boroughs Productions would also like to take this opportunity to sincerely thank all of you for your continued support and feedback over the last 2 and a half years of researching and filming this project. Indeed, this project would not be possible without your participation, no matter how small your contribution.

In 2008 we look forward to making great strides in the completion of this project including funding and distribution. As always, your input as well as word of mouth is welcome.

All the best in 2008,
--
Jeremy Garrett
Executive Producer
Five Boroughs Productions
www.rubberroommovie.com

Playing Bullshit Bingo at Faculty Conferences

At the new ednotes humor blog. Check for daily postings from back issues of Ed Notes.

Pinkey Opposes Referendum

Ed Notes reprint: Jan. 2004

by Pinkey the Cat

Hi guys! I saw that piece by my sister Pippin in the last issue. Yeah! She’s the brains behind this operation! She leaves her brains in the litter box every time she uses it.

Anyway, I wanted to talk to you about those 115,000 people who signed petitions to Reduce Cat Size. I am glad Mayor Bloomberg got that off the ballot. I am perfectly happy being the size I am. If that referendum had passed I might have ended up being the size of my shrimp sister (who at least I can still beat up.)

Imagine the costs to this society if we reduce the size of every cat. Where is the money going to come from? Why there must be a hundred countries we haven’t invaded yet. That 89 billion for Iraq is practically gone. And I was hoping it would be invested in Friskies research. I urge you to stand firm against the "reduction of cat size" referendum.

Er...what did you say?

You mean it's "Class size"?

Never mind.

Can The Past Divine The Future?

Let's start the New Year with a...

....guest column by NYC teacher C.B. Abraham

I have been reading Ed Notes forever. I happen to believe in the concept of a loyal opposition. One can be “in the opposition” without being opposed to the system itself. It keeps the ruling party from running roughshod over those that disagree with the ruling elite’s actions. In short, an opposition party helps to maintain equilibrium.

There, in the December 26^th online issue of Ed Notes “Shuffling the deck on the UFT Titanic” I read the following about Sandra Feldman: “But she trained as a teacher and was a socialist with a trade union background”. As I said, I have been reading Ed Notes for a very long time. That word “socialist” rang a distant bell. And then I fell out of my chair.

As readers of Ed Notes know, sometime during November of 2003, a new Chapter Leader disagreed with the president of the union concerning extra money for teachers in certain curriculum areas. For this, according to Ed Notes, the chapter leader was called a "socialist." Fast-forward 4 years and lo and behold, the specter of merit pay has taken on a new life. It is now called a "bonus". A rose by any other name?

The bonus pay idea has the potential to be so divisive that it will put union members at each other’s throats. Why should anyone work in a school, teaching the same children, under the same conditions, with the same teaching credentials and be paid differently from their neighbor?

All of us, ruling party and opposition, should salute those schools that turned down the money tied to performance. They would not allow any member of their chapter to be construed as a dunsel in the education process. Those chapters understand what it means to be united. They understand the idea of a union.

If that past prediction on merit pay has come true, then what other treats await us in the coming year?

Wishing you a happy, healthy, and a prosperous new year.

C.B. Abraham

Ed Note:

Here is the original article published in the Jan. 2004 edition of Education Notes:

Randi Calls Chapter Leader a Socialist for Disagreeing With Her at Chapter Leaders Training
Reports from Chapter Leaders attending UFT Chapter Leader training on Nov. 23. 2003

Randi gives updates on the union-initiated grievances and says that we are in a holding pattern until the next municipal election. [Is she saying that the grievances won’t be won until we elect a new mayor?] Expect “negative blow back” in the media each time we make any kind of advance.

Eventually she postulates the following idea:

Perhaps more prep time (she may have mentioned money here as well, but our correspondent is not 100% sure ) could be given to teachers in Title 1 schools in an effort to enable these schools to be adequately staffed. A chapter leader from a middle school questioned this and told her to ask for more money and time, not for a select group of schools, but for all schools in the system. Anything less would fracture and divide the membership, create different levels or tiers for the teachers in the UFT and would have the same effect as Merit Pay.

Randi responded by calling him a socialist. She later apologized.

There are reports that Randi also suggested that higher pay for math and science teachers might be inevitable. If true, this would be a major giveback. What next? Elementary teachers asking for higher pay because they teach longer hours? High school and middle school teachers saying they should be paid more because of the amount of papers they mark.

One more note: This is not the first time UFT leaders have resorted to red-baiting as a way to brand people who oppose them. Expect a lot more of this kind of thing in the upcoming [2004] UFT elections.

[Note also the red-baiting that took place in the 2007 elections.]

Not On The Test

Here's a new song about school testing that John Forster & I (Tom Chapin) wrote.
It helped usher in the New Year on National Public Radio, appearing on "Morning Edition" on January 1, 2007.

LISTEN
http://64.23.8.93/audio/NotOnTheTest.mp3

Not On The Test
by John Forster & Tom Chapin
© 2007 Limousine Music Co. & The Last Music Co. (ASCAP)

Go on to sleep now, third grader of mine.
The test is tomorrow but you'll do just fine.
It's reading and math. Forget all the rest.
You don't need to know what is not on the test.
Each box that you mark on each test that you take,
Remember your teachers. Their jobs are at stake.
Your score is their score, but don't get all stressed.
They'd never teach anything not on the test.
The School Board is faced with no child left behind
With rules but no funding, they're caught in a bind.
So music and art and the things you love best
Are not in your school 'cause they're not on the test.
Sleep, sleep, and as you progress
You'll learn there's a lot that is not on the test.
Debate is a skill that is useful to know,
Unless you're in Congress or talk radio,
Where shouting and spouting and spewing are blessed
'Cause rational discourse was not on the test.
Thinking's important. It's good to know how.
And someday you'll learn to, but someday's not now.
Go on to sleep, now. You need your rest.
Don't think about thinking. It's not on the test.

---

This new song does not yet appear on any Tom Chapin CD. You can download the song for free, either on Tom Chapin's website (here), or on Tom's Myspace page.

Brandeis HS Rejects Merit Pay by Default

There's an interesting article in The Chief on the process focusing on Brandeis HS which I have also put up on Norms Notes here.

I've received requests for details of the merit pay plan in terms of the future. I put this out to the ednotes chapter leader/delegate list and will put responses in the comments section of this post.

1. If there is no 55/25 pension does the plan go on hold for next year? Is there a deadline?

2. Does it have to be re-voted every year? When would that vote take place? In other words, would the vote for the 2009/10 school year take place in the fall of 08 like this vote did? or if a school voted for it is it set in stone for the future or until the DOE offers it to other schools?

3. Is there an intention to expand the program throughout the school system or will it be limited to around 250 schools?

Feel free to include details on what took place in your school.

How did you as a chapter leader address the issue? If you are not the CL how did your CL address it.

Anonymity guaranteed but if you don't mind it to be published say so.

Leaving "No Child Left Behind" Behind by Richard Rothstein

http://www.prospect.org/cs/articles?article=leaving_nclb_behind

Black Boy Middle School, Parts 1-3

I found this as a comment on the NYC Educator blog. Really good stuff:

i just want to remind ye teachers what you are fighting for. i carved out a sense of self in school because of you folks. when the line dips in the yearly graph for energy and commitment to the classroom, remember what i say: teachers were my parents growing up. school was my sanctuary. i'm remembering those days with images and words here. come by to get rejuvenated.

Black Boy Middle School, Parts 1-3
http://youtube.com/watch? v=wdgEz...feature=related
http://youtube.com/watch? v=3xaBZ...feature=related
http://youtube.com/watch?v=8gVI07rDY7A

Videos from Panel for Educational Policy Meeting

November, 2007

Leonie Haimson of Class Size Matters raises the issue of the DOE missing the deadline for releasing class size data in addition to talking about the number of seats needed in schools to accomplish serious class size reductions. Joel Klein responds.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vQuYTYwg7oo



Joel Klein reacts angrily to Betsy Combier's charge he doesn't care about kids when she questions him at the Nov. '07 Panel for Educational Policy meeting in NYC on why charter school but not public school kids get $44 million in busing money.




http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QsPFU7LyJNU

What's really behind the decision to close a school while leaving another open?

Full story posted at http://iceuftblog.blogspot.com

Pick up today’s Daily News and you might get the impression that community organizations that sponsor small schools can basically decide whether those schools survive or not. The first article, Bushwick parents and kids celebrate exit of embattled Acorn High principal, Rachel Monahan describes how the ACORN School of Social Justice, with their CBO, ACORN, was able to oust a principal who was blamed for the school’s poor performance and a DOE letter grade of F. The school was obviously saved from closing with a change in leadership despite its poor grade. ACORN was willing to continue to help the school although it is unclear what they were doing to allow the school to take such a precipitous decline.

In another article, Slow death for Brooklyn high school, Carrie Melago, describes how the CBO, East Brooklyn Congregations pulled out of EBC/ENY High School for Public Safety and Law and left the school to be placed on DOE’s death list of closing schools. The school was making some improvements but without CBO support and other political considerations the Chancellor decided to close the school even though the school received a letter grade of D.

While only a mile apart physically, both schools are light years away in how they were treated by the DOE.

Are the differing CBOs the reason? Perhaps. But it is only a part of the story.

Read more at: http://iceuftblog.blogspot.com

Shuffling the Deck on the UFT Titanic

"He won't last 6 months." Thus spoke an observer upon hearing Jeff Zahler was replacing the affable and capable Michael Mendel as the UFT's Staff Director at the end of the last school year. "He doesn't have the temperament for the job," she said.

And so it has come to pass, as Zahler, noted for his red-baiting attack on Kit Wainer during the 2007 election campaign amongst other lovable things about him, will be leaving the post next week, but will remain as the head of Unity Caucus. Oh, those deck chairs.

His replacement will be Manhattan District High School rep for small schools, Leroy Barr. Barr will be the 4th staff director since strongman Tom Pappas left the post a few years ago. Under Weingarten, the staff director position has lost some of its dominance as she is a hands on micromanager (or meddler to some) and there is not a clear chain of command with so many political appointments who can go right to Weingarten over the head of the staff director.

With her expected move to the AFT Presidency next July, Weingarten must firm up the home front just in case a serious opposition should emerge. The brilliant move of buying off the long-time opposition, New Action, can only last so long as their support in the schools dwindles to microscopic levels. (Is New Action Really a Caucus?)

The staff director has often been viewed as the 2nd in command – Sandra Feldman held that position before being elevated to UFT Presidency when Albert Shanker finally gave up the position after holding both AFT and UFT positions for 11 years. She appointed Pappas, who was considered by some a possible replacement for Feldman at one point. But Feldman and Shanker had their eye on Randi Weingarten as a better choice than the rough and tough Pappas, who has run the all-important Retirement Chapter since he gave up his post as staff director. At that time Weingarten handed the position to Queens Borough Rep Elizabeth Langiulli, which quickly turned into a disaster. Then came Mendel who seemed to be doing fairly well (he always seemed to be available) before he was kicked upstairs. Maybe he was too popular.

So, has Leroy Barr suddenly jumped into the race as a possible successor to Weingarten when she moves to take over the AFT this July? We think not, certainly at this time. The leading contenders to take over for Weingarten one day have been Elementary School VP Michelle Bodden (who is rumored for reassignment), the up and coming Vocational HS VP Michael Mulgrew and Mendel. None of these choices really work for Weingarten's purposes, though Bodden is considered the most "presidential."

Ed Notes' position has long been that Weingarten will hold on to the UFT Presidency as long as feasible, but to do so she needs to strengthen the home front to cover for her while she is traipsing around the country. The next election in 2010 will be the telling factor. If she planned on not running at that time one would think there would be a clear successor who could use the next 2 years to make himself/herself known to the members. Barr's appointment only further muddies the waters.

I remember Shanker running through a few successors - Herb Magidson was one around 1975 before he was kicked upstairs to NYSUT – before settling on Feldman, who some people thought would have a tough time filling Shanker's shoes, but in retrospect, managed fairly well. I find it interesting the number of people who tell me they miss her after dealing with Weingarten, which is surprising considering she was not Miss Warmth. But there was a certain "what you see is what you get" with the late Feldman that would be refreshing today. It is hard to imagine she would buy off New Action, especially with Shulman, whom she had no respect for as the leader. And with his old left background, Feldman's right wing Social Democrats USA (SDUSA) party ideals would curdle in her stomach.

Feldman also had a "teacher" mentality even though she did little teaching. But she trained as a teacher and was a socialist with a trade union background. (I was at the AFT convention in Washington in 2004 when she made her farewell speech and was very impressed as she focused on her activities in the civil rights struggles of the 50's and 60's.) Actually, despite the condescending arrogance that at times came from her and her inner circle, I sort of miss her too.

It was well known before Weingarten ever set foot in a school that she was the chosen one. She never taught and rose through the ranks but was a lawyer who was given a part-time teaching position while also working at the UFT so she could claim legitimacy as a teacher as Feldman's successor. Give both Shanker and Feldman credit in that they defined clear successors. Weingarten is too insecure to have her own Weingarten-like successor and this lack of talent near the top will have a long-time impact.

The UFT, the largest local in the world with almost 200,000 members, controls the NY State United Teachers which recently merged with the NEA in NY state (the idea of a national merger is on hold) and thus controls the AFT. That is why Weingarten is assured of being elected AFT Pres.

But there are serious dangers for Weingarten's power base if she turns the reins over to a powerful and ambitious successor as she was. Stories abound of friction between her and Feldman when the latter tried to tell her what to do. Weingarten quickly moved to replace Feldman/Shanker loyalists with her own people. What would stop a successor from doing the same no matter how much she felt she trusted that person? The reins of power are the reigns of power and we know how power can make people so light-headed they become blind.

Maybe Weingarten is trying to trisect – a troika, or quadrisect – a "quadrumvirate"- the leadership so no one person gets too much power or gets too popular with the rank and file.

Both Bodden and Barr are African-American. Weingarten has diversified the UFT Executive Board ethnically and racially, though certainly not politically, as all members, including the 8 New Action members who received the "gift" from Weingarten, adhere rigidly to the Unity line. Ed Notes has long maintained that a politically diversified EB not dominated by people on the UFT dole and that reflected the realities in the schools, would have a positive impact on the union.

Watch to see who emerges as a major spokesperson when Weingarten is not around. It will be very interesting if it does turn out to be Barr, who from my own limited contact seems a decent guy. In his performance as District Rep I've heard generally good things with a few minor complaints. Everyone in the union benefits with a responsive staff director. We wish him well in his new position.

Teachers Unite Presents – Jan. 10, 2008

THE BIG BUSINESS OF PUBLIC EDUCATION:
How will we reclaim public schools from privatization?

Thursday, January 10th, 5-7p.m.
Location TBA

Millions of dollars are exchanged between New York City’s Department of Education and private companies. How do these relationships impact our classrooms? What can be done about the seemingly inescapable trend of schools privatization?

Speakers:
Michael Fiorillo, Chapter Leader, Newcomers High School
Leonie Hamison, Executive Director, Class Size Matters

Discussion to follow.

Please RSVP to sally@teachersunite.net

This forum is the third in a series of events where educators can relate their experiences in schools to larger political trends. The 2007-2008 forums focus on the impact of privatization and the corporate model on classroom life in NYC public schools.

Teachers Unite provides leadership opportunities that build ties between educators and community organizers, and political education forums that build an informed teacher constituency. Teachers Unite is an organization for educators who act in solidarity with the communities they serve.

http://www.teachersunite.net

NOTE: See comment #1 as George Schmidt attempts to answer some of Sean's questions.

Sean Ahern raises the following thought-provoking questions:

I had some questions for the Jan 10 forum.

"How will we reclaim public schools from privatization?"

1) What is meant by "privatization" in NYC public schools?

2) Are public assets being sold or given away to private interests? Who's selling and who's buying? Are we talking about ownership or control? Who has lost what as a result of "privatization"?

3) Is it in the interests of the majority of educators and parents to seek a restoration of the old system, with the professional educrats and the UFT leadership back in the catbird seat? If not then what are we seeking to reclaim?

4) Most NYC public schools followed a factory model in the past. What are the differences and similarities between past and present models, between a public school and a privatized one? What do educators and parents and students want that neither past nor present systems provide?

5) Where is privatization coming from? Federal, state, city governments? "A Nation at Risk", NCLB, Put Children First, the Chicago model? Private companies, foundations?

6) Is Mayoral control a necessary component of "privatization"?

7) Do we have testimony from teachers, parents, students, comparing the privatized school with the public school?

8) Does this call to "reclaim public schools from privatization" seek to restore the past, in part or in whole?

9) Who is the "we" that can "reclaim" public schools and who is this "we" reclaiming it for? Does this "we" include the UFT leadership and educrats and pundits who exerted considerable influence over the public schools before privatization became a "seemingly inescapable trend"? Why did that "we" fail to stop "privatization"? What reason is there to believe that this "we" can or should "reclaim" it from the privatizers or that rank and file teachers and parents should be party to any effort to restore the claim of this "we" to control of the public schools? If this "we" includes rank and file teachers and parents of color along with the UFT leadership and leaders and pundits of the educracy such as Diane Ravitch, what changes will be made to empower educators and parents in a new system?

10) Are there any positive effects of privatization or Mayoral control from the standpoint of educators, parents and students that the latter might want to retain after public schools are "reclaimed".

Peace,
Sean

Triangulation 2 from George Schmidt and a Question on Shanker and Democracy

This is a video of a statement/question I made at the Century Foundation breakfast in November sponsoring the Kahlenberg book tour which was taped by CSpan. Weingarten was on this panel defending the UFT charter school and pointing to how the only group in the business community that supported her was the Broad Foundation. I guess that was some response to attacks on the ties between the UFT/AFT/Shanker /Weingarten and the anti-union business community.

I pointed out there was another view on Shanker overall and on democracy in particular and asked why the business community was only interested in ed reform on the cheap - ABM - Anything But Money - but plenty of time blaming the teachers - I didn't get to talk about the "culture of low expectations" or the answer being lots more professional development, but never class size.




George Schmidt on ICE-mail in response to the triangulation post a few days ago:

12/25/07
Colleagues and friends:
Merry Christmas.

It's been the same here in Chicago for some time. And the same story could be written today about Barack Obama as he triangulates his way towards the same policies as the Clintons, only with some New Age charisma added. We know what the Clintons have wrought through corporate "school reform". Let's keep a close eye on what the Obamaites will bring under the same ideology.

AFT and the Chicago Teachers Union also use the Hart polling firm to shore up their prejudices. Rather than leading, they "traingulate," as the NYT story reported Sunday.

But here is one to remember. Four years ago, in December 2003, I sat with the staff of the Chicago Teachers Union while people reported on a Hart poll of the unioni's 35,000 person membership. That data formed some of the basis for Debbie Lynch's 2004 election campaign (as opposed to having a grass roots organization in each of the city's 600 schools). A month later, insult was added to injury when Jan Schakowsky's husband, Bob Creamer (of the same "triangulation" crowd in the Democratic Party) became Debbie's "campaign consultant." Creamer didn't even know that the union's rules precluded a caucus from getting the home phone numbers of voting members to do massive phone banking (one of the stocks in trade of that type of election planning), nor was there any plan for a GOTV push the final week.

Result #1? Debbie lost the election in two phases, first by not getting a clean majority in a four-way race in May, then by losing by 500 votes in June. After a flurry of media events, Stewart took over the reins of the CTU in August 2004. It's been downhill even more quickly since then, as recent numbers show.

Result #2? The Chicago Teachers Union, under the new leadership of Marilyn Stewart, has a sliver over 30,000 members, and is declining faster than anyone can count in the face of school closings and charterizations here in Chicago.

Irony #1. A recent Hart poll showed that the members of the CTU are completely confused on such basic issues as whether Mayor Daley is good for the public schools or not, or whether Arne Duncan (our "CEO", as Klein is your "Chancellor") is, too.

That's leadership for you.

Let's not forget that "triangulation" in the 1930s left the USA unarmed at the time of Pearl Harbor. One of the books handed down to me by my family was a thing called "Common Sense Neutrality", a collection of essays by a bunch of isolationists and pro-Nazis.

My Dad, who was in the U.S. Army in 1941 before Pearl Harbor, talked about using wooden "rifles" and "machine guns" during the massive maneuvers in Louisiana two months before Pearl Harbor. The "tanks" they had to fight with and against were often decorated Model Ts or souped up jeeps. That's one of the reasons why GIs were massacred at places like Kasserine Pass during the early days of combat against Germany.

And, it's still possible that had Hitler not declared war on the USA after Pearl Harbor, a declaration of war against Nazi Germany might have been difficult in the U.S. Congress.

Triangulation has a long and ugly history in this country. Many of our comrades were hounded in later years (after the Nazis had been defeated) for being "premature anti-fascists." I'm glad to have been working with all of you premature anti "school reform" people while Rani and Ed dither around looking for a center that is really way out there on the right (just as, it later turned out, "Common Sense Neutrality" was partly subsidized by the Nazis Fifth Column on the East Coast).

Best for the holidays,

George Schmidt
Editor, Substance


George,
One of the themes of the Kahlenberg book is that Shanker was fighting off the anti cold war "isolationists" on the left who wanted to lighten defense spending and focus on the problems here at home. He pretty much gives Shanker credit for the fall of the iron curtain – the glories of "tough liberalism."

One the ideas behind our forum this Thursday is to look at the reasons this book is being promoted at this time and by whom: Century, Broad, Chester Finn. Reading that Times piece on Sunday tied some things together -- the tough liberal concept is part of the Clinton campaign for the presidency.

If you can stand it watch the c-span program at this link . The panel had Bela Rosenberg, Eugenia Kemble, Diane Ravitch, Randi. I got to ask one question near the end but they cut me off.

Here is a link to a video of the short time I got to speak.

The speaker after me was Velma Hill who headed the earliest efforts to organize paras into the UFT (one of the good things). The old gang gathers.

Kemble is an ideologue in the Shanker mode who wants to kill democracy in order to save it from communism, which to them included anyone on the left or anyone who opposed their "enlightened" policies. Thus they are entirely justified in their minds in changing and manipulating union rules to keep power. Rosenberg wrote many of Shanker's "Where We Stand Columns."

New Century has put up short segments on you tube of each speaker. A pretty intensive effort to get the word out.

Norm

I put up The Nation's piece "Shanker Blows Up the World" here at Norms Notes.

Here is a direct link to my "question" which was in response to Eugenia Kemble's claim that the UFT was democratic and that complaints about democracy came only because the opposition lost all the time. I pointed out that when they did win the high school VP election they changed the rules.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=haB1X2HXkhM

The entire cspan video is at: http://www.booktv.org/program.aspx?ProgramId=8957&SectionName=&PlayMedia=No

Triangulation - Clintonism as a Model for UFT Policy

Updated sun, Dec.. 23, 11pm, post Ranger hockey game (a loss).

I was struck in reading this article in today's NY Times mag (I'm not finished yet) by the connections (not surprising) we can extrapolate between Clintonism and the policies of the UFT. Check the definition of triangulation and apply it to how Weingarten takes a policy advocated by the opposition that might have "traction" and modifies it to "centralize" it. Also note that Hillary's chief spokesman Howard Wolfson also works as a consultant to the UFT. I think there's been a merger between the Clintons and the UFT. (What position does Uncle Joel and his wife Nancy Seligman occupy in this arrangement?)

Note how Clinton took the Democratic party in a centrist direction and compare it to how the UFT moved from a classical union to a broker between the business interests and the union members - selling the business roundtable line to the members rather than being a strong advocate for the membership. Kahlenberg spends oozes of time talking about the affinity between Clinton and Shanker. We hope to get into some of these ideas at the forum on Thursday (see post below this.)

Definitions in the Times article: "old liberals" are now defined as "progressives."
"Progressives" call Clintonists "Neo-liberals" and look at the practitioners as being not far from neo-cons, with which many share the same roots (loads of examples cited by Kahlenberg.)

Kahlenberg calls "old liberals" "neo-liberals" and uses "tough liberal" to define Shankerism which in many respects is really Clintonism which is really neo-liberal which is in many of its doctrines (other than union rights) a form of neo-con.

Capiche?

Though I see the Times article and the promotion of the Kahlenberg book as part and parcel of an attack on the left, including left-wing Democrats, there's a lot more thinking through of these issues to do.

But Giant football is coming up and we've got lots of chips and dip to attack and then heading off to MSG for Rangers hockey tonight, preceded by hot dogs at Nathan's. Urp!

More later.

NY Times article is at:
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/23/magazine/23clintonism-t.html?_r=1&oref=slogin&ref=magazine&pagewanted=print

The Roots of UFT Policy Forum

Thurs. Dec. 27 11-2pm in the Midwood section of Brooklyn.

We are running a forum this Thursday at 11 am in Brooklyn that will delve into the UFT's response to the major issues facing NYC teachers.

Many people think Randi Weingarten has turned the union in a new direction from its roots.
Is this really true when the UFT/AFT has a certain history that goes back to Al Shanker on many of the push button issues of today?
Why does the UFT support mayoral control?
Certain types of merit pay?
High stakes testing?
Reducing teacher due process rights?
The end of seniority?
Charter schools - deals with Green Dot?
Why does the UFT have a basic mistrust in its own members?
Why is the UFT leadership so restrictive of democracy?

The roots of many of these policies go way back to before Weingarten ever set foot in the UFT building. In fact I surmise there was a talent search to find someone with her skill set to assure a continuance of these long-term policies. For those of you who think recent contracts are a result of her being bamboozled by BloomKlein, she has continued most UFT policies with great skill while controlling the membership. Someone said to me that Unity always bought off people who had flirted with the opposition (ie. people like Leo Casey and Lynn Winderbaum as just 2 examples.) But Randi's brilliant innovation was buying off the entire New Action Caucus. Now, there's creative management.

One of the issues we will explore is what areas has Weingarten has changed the direction of the UFT, if any.

Examining these issues will bring some clarity in understanding certain basic issues.

We hope to continue the discussion in future sessions (possibly during the midwinter break in Feb. and the spring break) and to publish something afterwards.

I was asked why this is important at this time?

My immediate response was that ideology, not individuals drive AFT/UFT policy. Thus, when Randi Weingarten eventually (and not too soon I would bet as the home front of Unity in terms of capable personnel is not exactly firm) gives up her position as UFT president, there might be hope her replacement will take the UFT in another direction. Don't bet on it. Weingarten is trying to shape up the top level of Unity to keep things in line while as AFT president she races around the country to try to elect Hillary. (Of course if Hillary is not the nominee, that might have an effect.)

One might ask why such a big push for the Richard Kahlenberg Shanker bio, which justifies almost all of Al Shanker's policies, especially his alliances with the business community that has led to many of the destructive policies that have put public schools under such attack? Why is the concept of "Tough Liberalism" which includes a major attack on the left, being shoved in people's faces? Why is the New Century Foundation and the Eli Broad foundation back this book?

Lots of questions. We hope to find some answers.

Thurs. Dec. 27 11-2pm
There is still room.
Contact me at normsco@gmail.com if you are interested in attending and I will send you details.

Why Not Lists of.....

We've been raising the issue of how there seems to be a witch hunt on for teachers while other areas of society seem to be escaping. The Sarasota Herald-Tribune published a national list of teachers who have been disciplined, naturally lumping sexual issues (25% of the teachers) with others who might appear due to a disagreement with their administrators.

George Schmidt commented on ICE-mail:

I don't know if I'm on the list, but since I was fired by the Chicago Board of Education for the publication of the CASE tests in 1999 and then placed on what is called locally the DO NOT HIRE list, it wouldn't surprise me. Generally, I'm in favor of investigative reporting. This particular instance goes outside the realm of decency, however, if, as it is said, the "problems" can range over anything (including, let's assume, serious disagreements with superiors, as I had here). To lump child molesters of the kind I helped bring to justice here in Chicago with teachers who stand up for what's right is almost obscene.

SS raised the issue of why not lists for other areas of society:

Why not lists of lawyers whose sole mission in life is to make lots of money hurting other human beings?

Why not lists of "real estate" "developers" who kill trees, grass, bushes, shrubs, mom-and-pop businesses, hundreds of creatures, the lives of tenants and home owners in order to "develop" and "improve" a piece of land?

Why not lists of parents who don't feed, clothe or wash their children in a manner to benefit those children?

Why not lists of every adult who doesn't have the first inkling about disciplining and schooling a child to be a decent human being?

Why not lists of health care providers who care about as much as Stalin?

Why not lists of politicians who routinely destroy the health and lives of millions of their so-called constituents?

Why not lists of massively miserable administrators who get their jollies harassing and then firing their employees?